This might be the best $20 gadget I have tested out yet. This is a Hands on Review of the Jelly Comb Mini Bluetooth ; It’s a rechargeable Handheld Remote Control Wireless Mini Keyboard that is light, easy to use and works great in tough situations. The Bluetooth technology provides a cable-free & clutter-free connection and has an operating distance of about 10 meters. In my home, I had a tough time getting it out of range when using ; Great for a media center PC or like us, a touchscreen PC we have mounted on the wall in the ; Handy to have around for those moments when you really just need a keyboard

It’s been a year since I produced a gear update. Last year I purchase a new mixer and added a new PC to the mix. You can find that update here: Web platforms – Web and Media Hosting Maplegrove Partners – founded by my podcasting partner Christian Johnson, this web and media hosting service has all the benefits and security like the big guys with all the best customer service and customizations of a small shop. Christian is taking on new customers and podcasters at I have been with MGP from the beginning and don’t plan to move anytime soon. They provide both my web and media hosting service. MediaFire – Back in the fall I started using to host my video feeds for the entire network. We put both our Video Large and Video Small files over there for consumption by the listeners. For $50 a year, I get 1TB of storage and 10TB of bandwidth a month to use for media hosting. The bandwidth I don’t use rolls over from month to month. I currently have almost 100TB saved up in my account. That works for me. They have been rock steady and reliable. Thousands of my videos get download each month without a single issue. Highly recommend. USB Audio Interface A couple of weeks ago, I spilled a large cup of water all over my Alesis MultiMix 8 USB FX that I had purchased just last year at Guitar Center for a steal price of $99. Needless to say, the mixer didn’t survive the bath. Using it as an opportunity to try something different, I purchased a PreSonus AudioBox USB 2×2 USB Recording Interface from Guitar Center locally here in Omaha. It was fairly easy to install and get up and running, but I wouldn’t say it’s for beginners. Since it is very limited in audio mixing features, I used VoiceMeeter () and created virtual audio cables to create a software mix minus. I used it for Ask the Podcast Coach on May 16 () and it worked ok. With a little more practice and time, I would have take most of the bass out of the mix. It also clicked a lot on my end. You couldn’t hear it in the final cut but doing a live show with a lot of audible clicking in the background is unjaring. Not the best long term solution for me. Mixer To replace the Alesis Mixer, I ordered the Mackie PROFX8 8-Channel Mixer [ ]. This 8 channel mixer has 4 XLR outs and plenty of bells and whistles for the average podcaster. At $170, it’s also very affordable for most. It has sliders for the volume as compared to the knobs for the Alesis and it a bit more durable if taken on the road. I don’t plan on ever taking it out of the studio, but it would do well if I needed to. Sound output wise, I can’t really tell any difference between it and the Alesis Multimix 8, so advantage to the Alesis for price, coming in at about $130. However, if you ever think you might use this as a road board, the advantage would go to the Mackie. Either would work for most people, it’s just a matter of the features you are looking for with the mixer. Mics and Arms No update to the Mics or Arm for this year. Still using the Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic Mic that I purchased a while back. Not going to lie, I would love to purchase the Heil Sound PR40 Dynamic Microphone to try out as well. At north of $300, I am having an issue pulling the trigger on it. The 2100’s have an all black version too. The Audio-Technica AT2005USB Cardioid Dynamic USB Mic , which is nearly identical to the 2100 in every way but color and on/off switch. They are nearly the same price on most days at Amazon. I also get lots of questions about what Shock Mount to use with the ATR 2100. What I use and my recommendation is still the On Stage MY325 Dynamic Shock Mount Microphone I also have gotten good use out of my RODE PSA1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm that I purchase over 2 years ago. At $99 it is on the high end for boom arms, but well worth the price. Lately, I have been trying out the budget model from Neewer that comes in at a budget friendly sub 20 price. The Neewer arm lacks quality with springs that are on the outside of the arm, a mount that is not very sturdy and lighter grade metal used. But for the price, it’s hard to beat. Lately, I have been using the NEEWER Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm for holding my smart phone to use with Periscope and Meerkat in the studio. Pared with the Car Mount, WizGear – Universal Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount Holder you have flexible solution for holding phone at the right angle for the video and can move it away when you are not using it. Yurbuds If you have listened to me for any length of time, you know that I swear by my Yurbuds for podcasting (and working out too!) The pair that I use in the studio had gotten caught between my chair and the desk and stripped off some the insulation around the wires. They still work, they just didn’t look very good on camera. They were red too, and I was beginning to look for something that might blend in a little better. In February, I ordered the Yurbuds Ironman Inspire Duro Plus Cloth Cords Sport Earbuds just to see what would be like to order the budget version from Yurbuds. They are cloth covered and I thought that might be good for podcasting since they were not getting wet with a workout. I couldn’t have been more wrong. When the cloth cover rubs on clothing, it transers the sound to the earbuds. Not all that loud, it’s loud enough for me and can be distracting. I am not going to change them out, but will not order cloth the next time I purchase new ones. I also purchase the same pair for work. They have such good quality, it might be a while before I get a chance to order new ones. If were to purchase again, I would get the Yurbuds (CE) Inspire 300 Noise Isolating In-Ear Headphones PC Equipment No changes to the PC that I built in the previous post. It continues to work well and is running Windows Update. I will upgrade it to Windows 10 in the fall. It’s a free upgrade for the first year. I still run the studio off of a Home Build. It consists of the major components of: Intel Core i7-4770 Quad-Core Desktop Processor GHZ LGA 1150 8MB Cache Gigabyte LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gbps USB ATX DDR3 1600 Intel Motherboards GA-Z87-HD3 Crucial Ballistix Tactical BLT2KIT8G3D1608DT1TX0 16GB 240-Pin DIMM DDR3 1600, PC3 12800 Desktop Memory Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SATA III Internal SSD Cooler Master HAF XB EVO (HAF XB Rev. 2) – High Air Flow Cube Style ATX Computer Case Corsair RM Series 450-Watt ATX/EPS 80PLUS Gold-Certified Power Supply Thanks for reading and thanks for watching or listening to the podcasts! As always, if you have questions about my setup or need gear advice, you can contact me at or on twitter @jcollison

I spent some time over the last several weeks putting in an upgraded PC for the #160; I had been running a home build Intel Core i3 530 / 8GB RAM / 120GB SSD that was getting a little long in the tooth for what I was doing with #160; Besides daily use, the studio pc does all the edits, both audio and video for the several podcasts that I do #160; A one hour video podcast was taking up to 3 hours to render in 1080p with the older #160; With the new setup, I can render that same file in less than 30 #160; A worth while investment. I also installed Windows Update on #160; The more Microsoft changes Windows 8, the more it is looking like Windows 7 #160; It has been working well for me. Here is the parts list: Jim’s New Studio Build Cooler Master HAF XB EVO (HAF XB Rev. 2) – High Air Flow Cube Style ATX Computer Case with Removable Drive Cages and Dual 120mm XtraFlo Fans ;camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00FB45WPI&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&psc=1 Gigabyte LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gbps ;camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=B00D94X6AK&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&psc=1 Intel Core i7-4770 Quad-Core Desktop Processor ;camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00CO8TBNS&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&psc=1 Crucial Ballistix Tactical BLT2KIT8G3D1608DT1TX0 16GB 240-Pin DIMM DDR3 1600, PC3 12800, Desktop Memory ;camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B006YG9C6C&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&psc=1 Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 250GB ;camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=B00E3W1726&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&psc=1 Corsair RM Series 450-Watt ATX/EPS 80PLUS Gold-Certified Power Supply CP-9020066-NA ;camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=B00EB7ULNO&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&psc=1 Some of you have also asked about the mixer that I use for #160; Here it is: Alesis MultiMix 8 USB FX ;camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=B00404E7VK&linkCode=shr&tag=avestufrothea-20&qid=1402752550&sr=8-1&keywords=alesis+multimix+8+usb Let me know if you have any #160; Listen to Home Gagdget Geeks to get updates on how it is all running!

Christmas of 2013 was good to Jim and my tech setup at home for Podcasting! A couple of gifts from Santa (you know who you are) and some great hardware upgrades from the family and the home studio has improved by 100% Let me share them with you. First off, after a camera debacle on Surface Geeks and the Home Server Show two weeks in a row, both () and () highlights just how bad it was. I think even Santa must have noticed. I received a box from Amazon on Christmas Eve with no note, no return address and no invoice. In the box was a perfectly packaged Logitech C920! () What once was a $99 webcam has now made its way down to $69 and is worth every penny! Sporting elements like: HW encoding for faster, smoother HD experiences Carl Zeiss optics with premium 20-step AutoFocus Full HD 1080p video calling on Skype Full HD 1080p recordings and Fast upload to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube High quality dual mic for stereo audio Hard to beat for what I do for podcasting! Working well with both low and high lighting (more on lighting later!) it might be the perfect webcam for any aspiring broadcaster. I took a couple photos for your reference. Low Light Studio Light About on hour later, still Christmas Eve, the doorbell rang again. Another box, again, missing any markings and a complete surprise. I never saw this one coming. A CowboyStudio Photography/Video Portrait Umbrella Continuous Triple Lighting Kit. () I know my lighting has always been bad, I didn’t know just how bad. Again, see the photos above. At just about $70, this is a totally affordable lighting setup for the Average Guy. I always thought lighting was going to cost me a couple hundred dollars or more and that thought kept me from even looking. Now I will tell everyone just how inexpensive it can be. The set up on this rig is simple and fast. It’s meant to be portable and comes with an travel bag to take it on the road. With only 3 parts to assemble, it’s drop dead simple and could be setup and removed from any room very quickly if you didn’t have a dedicated place to record from. In my case, they can stay set up for the couple podcasts that I do a week. The added light now makes a huge difference. With everything set up at the desk it totally changed my set up. Then came Christmas! That morning, my family set me up with a very nice VIVO Dual LCD Monitor Desk Mount Stand. Loaded with heavy duty and fully adjustable arm brackets, this mount fits 2 monitors up to 27″ (). It’s a great deal at less than $50! Install took about an hour (ended up moving monitors around based on setup) and the design and build of this mount is solid. With two brackets holding the mount to the desk and a very thick metal design, this unit feels durable and solid. It’s heavy too! Adjustments are easy to make and one wrench tightens everything! I will buy a second one when the time comes! By noon on Christmas, I had it all installed. Took a few pictures so you can see how I set it up. Of course, any questions you have about how it has faired here at the Studios, email me at or leave a comment here! Happy New Year

Podcast Reviews

Really enjoy the podcast. Each week’s episode provides a wide variety of topics and tech gadgets out there. The guests are always knowledge and add tremendous depth to the podcast. Keep it up, guys.

OK - I'm a Tech Geek

July 22, 2017 by stevesleep from United States

I admit it. I love tech. I can't get involved in everything so it's great listening to Home Gadget Geeks. Keeps me updated on everything from blockchains to BBQ. Good job Jim and Mike!

Great show, Outstanding Host

December 2, 2016 by Ross Brand from United States

I am not only a fan of Jim Collison's podcasts, but I had the priviledge to be a guest on Home Gadget Geeks. Jim is a terrific interviewer and facilitiates informative and entertaining conversations. For anyone who wants to improve at podcasting, Jim is an excellent resource to follow and learn from. I highly recommend subscribing to Home Gadget Geeks and checking out the rest of Jim's content at theaverageguy.tv website.

I’m not one of those subscribe-to-every-tech podcast out there kinda guys. I’m technically inclined, but bored easily with those high brow “I”m the smartest guy in the room and want everybody to know it.” Jim is a terrific host and conversationalist. I can easily listen to Jim and his guests knowing I may be the dumbest guy in the room, but they always make me feel smarter for listening.

Informative and entertaining

October 6, 2014 by mavace from United States

There is a reason I look forward to this show each week and that is because it is the perfect mix of information and entertainment. Jim and his guests are great to listen to and I come away having learned something every week.

VPNs for secure WiFi, ethical hacking, and more, great stuff!

June 23, 2014 by tinkererguy from United States

I always enjoy listening to Christian, and the various guests Jim just keeps managing to find. You'll want to pay attention to this podcast, it requires it, in a good way!

Great show

August 4, 2013 by vitony from United States

One of the best shows for the home pc enthusiast. I've been listening to it each week for over two years and I'd highly recommend it. Jim and team are very professional and the show is very informative.

What would we do without you?

August 15, 2012 by Hyper-VG from Canada

This is one podcast you dont want to miss. They may talk alot of tech but they make it so anyone can understand it. Dont get lost in the tech jungle list to what they say and do your research. Subscribe and be treated to a ton of knowlage.

Great tech show

August 14, 2012 by erik_the_tall from United States

Jim is a nut! A tech nut! Great show for folks looking to scratch their tech itch.

Awesome show!

August 12, 2012 by misslissa808 from United States

so sorry, seems i left a review under my husband's name of pytheas2.0! LOL! well, now he is subscribed :) but thanks for hosting a great show with a variety of information! I'm a photographer and no where near knowing about techy stuff, so maybe i'll learn a thing or two and impress my husband ;)

Thanks for this great podcast !

July 31, 2012 by Ryan Heatherly from Australia

Just wanted to let you guys know that this is a good podcast to subsribe to, to get the latest news on the tech scene :)
Networking, Phones, Servers. All you need. And they do host giveaways of exciting products every now and then :)

Excellent Podcast!!

July 31, 2012 by Rocky53382456 from United States

Easily a winner when it comes to knowing their stuff!! These guys always seem to know what I am thinking, and just put the info out there! Keep up the great work, Hands down, the friendliest bunch around!

Take it from me

July 30, 2012 by RichinFL from United States

If you have a connected home, you owe it to yourself to listen to this podcast. The tips, tricks and news save me tons of time from browsing a ton of websites constantly.

Great!

July 25, 2012 by Kaylley Williams from United States

Pretty Tech savvy. Thanks!

Great Info

July 25, 2012 by Katja Wright Photography from United States

Very informative and also entertaining - keep up the good work!

Great info

July 25, 2012 by NickAMoore from United States

Excellent show with information you can use.

Great resource!

July 25, 2012 by vegasstace from United States

Informative and entertaining!

Becoming My Favorite Podcast

July 24, 2012 by awraynor from United States

I first hear Jim over at the HomeServer Show podcast. I quickly became interested in a home server after my
desktop literally crashed (was knocked over) by my 13 year old. My wife then game me carte blanche to recover
my wedding/honeymoon photos and then guarantee they were never at risk again.
When he went out on his own at theaverageguy I made sure to listen every week. His cohosts are great, with
Christian making me feel like such an underachiever. When you realize how young he is you will feel the same
way too. I also like how the internet/podcasts have helped tech geeks from all over the world come together
and discuss their common interests.
Subscribe, you won't be disappointed.

Great Tech Show

July 23, 2012 by G.WadeTech from United States

I am one of the rotational guest on the show. I enjoy my turn in talking about tech with the regulars and enjoy listening to the show weekly. I like that The Home Tech Podcast brings together a good group of people and is such a nice community to learn from. Thanks for the oppurtunities and the podcasts... keep them going.

Good stuff

July 23, 2012 by Busy busy 123 from United States

Great show; thanks for sharing your knowledge in an easy to understand way!

Great Podcast

July 23, 2012 by Samantha Beauchamp from United States

Found out about you from the Jpeg2Raw podcast awhile back! Great stuff here!

Great show for the home tech nerd :-)

July 23, 2012 by juanissimo from United States

Great show for the home tech nerd. :-)

Excellent Show

April 15, 2012 by Joe_Miner from United States

Excellent tech show for the average guy that provides the information we need.

Home Tech delivered with fun.

December 12, 2011 by ukhomeservershowgeek from United Kingdom

Great team of tech heads spun out from the homeservershow. Great listening for all home tech including home storage and pc based homes. One of my top 5 podcasts. I am in UK but all good from US and AUS perspective.

The Home Tech Podcast

October 25, 2011 by random.rich from United States

This is a great show! with an interesting mix of guests and topics. Jim pulls from his circle of tech friends to round out his weekly podcast discussions.